This　paper　presented　a　study　on　the　role　of　yttrium　addition　to　CuO/CeO2　catalyst　for　water-gas　shift　reaction.　A　single-step　co-precipitation　method　was　used　for　preparation　of　a　series　of　yttrium　doped　CuO/CeO2　catalysts　with　yttrium　content　in　the　range　of　0-5wt.%.　Properties　of　the　obtained　samples　were　characterized　and　analyzed　by　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　Raman　spectroscopy,　H2-TPR,　cyclic　voltammetry　(CV)　and　the　BET　method.　The　results　revealed　that　catalytic　activity　was　increased　with　the　yttrium　content　at　first,　but　then　decreased　with　the　further　increase　of　yttrium　content.　Herein,　CuO/CeO2　catalyst　doped　with　2wt.%　of　yttrium　showed　the　highest　catalytic　activity　(CO　conversion　reaches　93.4%　at　250　°C)　and　thermal　stability　for　WGS　reaction.　The　catalytic　activity　was　correlated　with　the　surface　area,　the　area　of　peak　γ　of　H2-TPR　profile　(i.e.,　the　reduction　of　surface　copper　oxide　(crystalline　forms)　interacted　with　surface　oxygen　vacancies　on　ceria),　and　the　area　of　peak　C2　and　A1　(Cu0↔Cu2+　in　cyclic　voltammetry　process),　respectively.　Besides,　Raman　spectra　provided　evidences　for　a　synergistic　Cu-Ovacancy　interaction,　and　it　was　indicated　that　doping　yttrium　may　facilitate　the　formation　of　oxygen　vacancies　on　ceria.　©　2009　The　Chinese　Society　of　Rare　Earths.